Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli told the assembled media in Minneapolis today that he’s already held an initial meeting with agent Rick Curran to discuss his client Tomas Kaberle.

So far it’s been difficult to gauge Chiarelli’s enthusiasm level for bringing back the defenseman who cost the Bruins a top prospect and two high draft picks last February and then struggled to get comfortable in a Boston uniform.

In past years, Chiarelli hasn’t been shy about getting deals done with his restricted and unrestricted free agents well in advance of the market opening. But this is a different situation, obviously, with the Bruins having played up to June 15 in order to win the Stanley Cup. And Kaberle is probably the weirdest case yet for Chiarelli because you can make the case that he’s the first in-season acquisition that stayed healthy but didn’t live up to expectations.

Now that’s a Cup-champion general manager, Chiarelli certainly doesn’t need any advice from this blog. But if I was in Chiarelli’s seat, I’d get a deal done with Kaberle and keep my championship D corps together for a full season.

Many of you just rolled your eyes or whacked yourself in the head – maybe you even closed your browser or sent a virus to this site – after reading that declaration. Kaberle certainly had his faults during his four months in black and gold and earned his share of Bruins-backing detractors. That doesn’t mean that he’s a terrible player or he’s destined to play in the future the way he sometimes stumbled in his first Bruins stint.

It’s widely believed that Kaberle will have to take a pay cut into the $3 to $3.5 million range. This might not be completely true considering his track record and the ever-thinning pool of comparable puck-moving defensemen headed toward the open market. The pool was already thin before Andrei Markov and Kevin Bieksa were reportedly closing in on new deals without testing the waters. Combined with the increase in the salary cap, the thin pool might make Kaberle a more coveted asset than those who watched the Bruins’ run to the Cup would believe.

Nonetheless, I wouldn’t pay Kaberle more than $3.5 million. Chiarelli can fit him in at that amount without hurting his ability to upgrade the team or keep around a rookie or two next season without the performance-bonus cushion. Maybe Kaberle would be willing to take a “hometown discount” considering that other than Toronto, Boston was the only other place he wanted to play the last couple seasons when he was deciding whether to waive his no-trade clause. Publicly he said he still wants to stay here, so if he’s to be taken at his word, maybe he’d trade location and term for the riches he might get elsewhere.

Now you’re reading this and still screaming at the screen that at any price more than minimum wage you don’t want to see Kaberle back. He didn’t save the power play, was lackadaisical in his own end at times and lacked any sign of physicality.

Well, those things are mostly true. But I still think the reasons to keep Kaberle outweigh the reasons to let him walk, if the price is right. You start with that thin pool of replacements. After watching seven games against Vancouver, do you want the Bruins to sign Sami Salo or Christian Ehrhoff or even Bieksa? James Wisniewski has suddenly become popular among Bruins fans. He has some offensive upside but his decision-making and defensive lapses would surely make head coach Claude Julien tear his hair out if the Cup championship made him grow any.

The only legitimate game-changer headed to the free-agent market is Joni Pitkanen. He personifies all the tools you want in a “PMD” and he’s in the prime of his career. He’s also going to be looking for more than the $4 million he was making with Carolina. If you want to commit somewhere in the neighborhood of $5 million per season – for who knows how many seasons in this era of the lifetime contract – to a player who’s known for his lapses and lulls over the course of 82 games, you obviously do not subscribe to the same team-building philosophies as Chiarelli.

So now back to Kaberle. While the power play didn’t become a world-beater, it certainly improved over the course of the Cup Final and even in the Tampa Bay series. Front and center was Kaberle, with his fearless passes along the blue line and uncanny ability to keep pucks in regardless of how high off the ice they are or which side of him they were headed toward.

Blaming Kaberle for the power-play woes is like blaming a pitcher with an ERA under 2.00 for going 1-10 with no run support. The Bruins’ would-be finishers – Milan Lucic, Nathan Horton, et al. – are just as to blame. And what about would-be playmaker David Krejci? Working the half wall most of the season, the center was just as unproductive on the power play as Kaberle.

At even strength, even when he was struggling, Kaberle was able to keep defenses on their heels with his ability to move the puck far and move it quick. Subtly he provided the Bruins with what they got him for, even if you couldn’t quantify it on the score sheet. He sacrificed his body to block shots when the stakes were raised, even if he hit as rarely as Tyler Seguin.

Imagine Kaberle with a full training camp and exhibition season to get used to Julien’s system and play with a consistent partner (maybe even Zdeno Chara). Imagine him settling into the city instead of learning a new town after his first NHL trade in the midst of a season. Accept the fact that even if he made some gaffes out on the ice, he didn’t commit more than any other blue liner (except maybe Dennis Seidenberg) in a Bruins sweater, and he just took more flak for his errors because of the hype surrounding him when he got here and his salary.

By all accounts, Kaberle was a positive influence in the locker room, and it couldn’t hurt to have him around to help raise future “PMDs” Steven Kampfer and Matt Bartkowski.

Bet you didn’t believe there could be so many reasons to keep Tomas Kaberle. Well, there you have them all. And if Chiarelli is really interested in making Kaberle a long-term Bruin – a fact I’m not completely sold on based on Chiarelli’s vague comments on the matter – he should get the deal done without fear Kaberle would be anything but a solid contributor to future Bruins clubs.

I would love to have Bieksa, but he’s probably not going to be available and he’s in the same mold as all our other defensemen.

Kaberle might work out if he spends another year in the CJ system. He just looked uncomfortable out there and I’m not ready to write him off. If he’ll take it, give him a short-term deal (2-3 years?) in the $3.5m/yr range

I’ve got no problem bringing back Kabby at a fair price. Yeah he’s a little timid and doesn’t rattle the glass but his passing and vision are above average. He’s better than he’s shown and it wasn’t like he was throwing pucks into his own slot. I’m not sure why people have this love affair with Parise. He’s undesized and just missed a whole year with injury. I won’t argue that he’s a good player but I think you would overpay for him.

Cormac,
Stop dreaming of Selanne. It’s a nice dream, but he will either sign with Anaheim or retire.

I don’t think it’s in the Bruins’ best interest to deal for Bogosian or another young defensive stud. It would take a serious bite out of our farm team and we would certainly have to include a roster player or two. I think Boston would have to make a deal with NJ if it becomes apparent they are dealing Parise or the like, because that will give us a discount on a good player. We are in a position where we should not overpay because we have a chance to become the next New Jersey or Detroit. We aren’t there yet, but if we make foolish deals that deplete our system we will never get there. We have cap space, a young core, the best goaltending in the league, one of the most effective d-corps in the league, and talented prospect who will help our offense flourish in a couple years. Sign Kaberle if he is willing to go for 3-3.5 million because that gives us value if we decide he is worth a trade. Paying 4-5 million for him is too much, given what he has shown so far. Kaberle is not and will not be a part of our core. He is a good complimentary player that might have had a down year, or a lot of trouble adjusting to our system (I’m being generous). He is however, about as defensively sound an offensive defenseman as one is likely to find, even if he isn’t really contributing to the offense. That alone is unique and worth consideration.

Chia will sign him if the price is right, but not for more. I think he sees his opportunity and will take advantage of it.

I would like to see the Bruins sign Kaberle. I think his struggles were related to him playing for a bad Toronto team that never made the playoffs then being traded to a playoff contender and being the hired gun. Kaberle has talent and once he is signed I can see him settling in and excelling..

CNL, just my opinion, but I’d rather sign Selanne for 3 years @ between $4-5 mil(31-49-80 in 72 games–16-18-34 ppp’s) instead of Kaberle and pursue Bogosian for a deal.

Kaberle “might” get the $’s you posted… from a team that needs to reach the cap minimum of $48mil, e.g. Florida, or maybe Detroit for Rafalski.

Selanne could replace Recchi and add some scoring punch on regular shifts. Bogosian’s addition would give depth to the defensive corps and, IMO, both would allow the Providence B’s forwards and d-men at least another year to develop and compete for the Calder in ’11-’12.

Unless the cup fever has struck him I think kabs is going to motown his style of play works better with the european flash of the wings and with lidstrom’s last gasp this season they will need a pmd to step in and be the focus of that d corps for years to come so they will give him term and dollars, but he may however want to stay in boston if so he’s going to need to accept 4-5 million a season and that is a lot for someone who turned out to be a 3rd line defensemen

Simple as this. Kaberle will get $5-6 mil on the market. I would wager a guess and say he’ll be wearing a Red Wings jersey on July 1st. They would love him to replace Rafalski. The idea of him signing at anything less than $4 is ridiculous. Marchand will get around $2.5/year for maybe 3 years. Boychuck was one of our BEST d-men in the Finals after a shaky Conference Finals. He’s a beast who tries to do too much sometimes. You’re not gonna find a much better upgrade out there.

Simple as this. Kaberle will get $5-6 mil on the market. I would wager a guess and say he’ll be wearing a Red Wings jersey on July 1st. They would love him to replace Rafalski. The idea of him signing at anything less than $4 is ridiculous. Marchand will get around $2.5/year for maybe 3 years. Boychuck was one of our BEST d-men in the Finals after a shaky Conference Finals. He’s a beast who tries to do too much sometimes. You’re not gonna find a much better upgrade out there.

I think he improved as time went on in the playoffs and quietly tied Seidenberg for defense points. Granted he didn’t make a great first impression and I think expectations from him were a bit high. Give him a chance to go through camp and get more familiar with Julien’s system.

Why is it that Kaberle or a PMD is the only ’11-’12 answer to the B’s PP?
Why not consider a PMF to run the PP, isn’t that what Savvy did for the B’s?
Teemu Selanne is a UFA and posted 16-18-34 on the PP for the Ducks. He’s still got game and would look pretty good in a B’s sweater.
I’d consider him and Bogosian to replace Kaberle’s and Ryder’s $’s.

i think its just a matter of whats available this year and theirs not much, if their was some other pmd men on the market i think PC might say see you later kaberle. Good point on what they gave up for him too

i hear ya , marchand will prob only get 2.5 or so but you cant pay guys based on howmany playoff points he had. what if kabs had 3 assists in one of the awsome blowouts of vancouver and ended up with 14 or 15 points in the playoffs would he than be worth more than siedenberg

seidenberg is prob the most underrated d man in the nhl and if he was a free agent this year would prob get 5 mil after the show he put on in the playoffs. but kab will prob get more cash this year than any other ufa dman and boston i dont think will settle for kampfer being their top 6 guy

I realize that player salaries are not always based on their actual value to the team and relative to their teammates salary, but based on market value. But, if Kaberle gets more per year than the Beast/Horse Seidenberg ($3.25), that’s just not right.

But yeah if Markov just got $6mil/yr then forget it. Kaberle’s a-walkin’ because there is NO WAY he is worth 5-6mil/yr to the Bruins. I’d rather see Kampfer and Bartkowski tossed into the fire prematurely than overpay Kabs now and have to make a tough cap decision next offseason in order to resign Krejci & co.

Considering the limited D options on the FA market, the B’s have to have at least some interest in bringing Kaberle back. Couldn’t stand to watch the guy through most of his time here, but then again maybe he’s the best option they have. Let’s hope if he is resigned its for a short term (1-3yrs) and the cap hits friendly enough to move if things aren’t working out come February. I’d say no more than 3yr/$9mil.

Carry Kampfer as your #7 and if Kaberle falters then the kid (and Bartkowski?) can get a shot while the Bruins scour the trade market for depth. If Kaberle can catch his stride, then you’ve got a relative bargain who’s not on the hook for too much or for too long.

The B’s won a CUP with this guy as a top five D–keep him! What more do you want–too many unknowns with the other free agent D’s. I say he gets signed for about 6.6 for two years. Now, go get Leino or Laich for old Rex’s old spot!

We got a great deal on Sides, and we thought at the time we were overpaying, much in the way we felt with Ferrence. If Chia signs him, then he sees something I don’t but given what has transpired, I bet it will be a great deal for us.

Great argument Matt,
I’d say there is certainly a chance to upgrade, but it is looking more and more to be through trades. I think if Chia wants him and Kaberle is willing to take a sizeable discount for his career security, things might work out. I’d like to give him a full season before really passing judgement.

Also Matt K, if he is so valuable, why did he play less than 10 minutes/gm in the SCF?

The free agent market has thinned, Yzerman has Brewer as a priority, so I doubt he makes it to the big show. Pitkanen may be an upgrade, or another Wideman. Wiz is really undisciplined, and would likely not mesh well with the other personalities. Salo could be great for a 1 yr contract for depth and skill, but getting old, and not worth more than that.

Ideally I think a 1 year deal at 2.5. As Pierre said, I would never consider giving him more than Seidenberg. A 1 year deal would give him a chance to show he can play at a high level for a full season in Boston, and earn a bigger contract. After what I saw, he is not worth 3.5 million.

Not convinced. Nice try though. We won the cup – Kaberle didn’t excite me in any way. Kampfer has a long way to go.. but he does things that excite me. If worse comes to worse I’d rather invest in teaching a kid with promise, or try on another dman (Brewer, Wiz, Trade for Yandel rights…). We’ve got cap space, we’re well set up against the cap. No sense screwing it up for a guy that showed some glimpses over the last 7 games (out of how many??).

Pretty convincing…IF the price is right. He can’t make more than Seids at $3,250,000. For 2.5 maybe it makes sense. D depth is so important. If you let Kaberle walk and don’t add a guy then Kampfer is in your top 6 and Bartkowski is your 7th. I don’t think anyone would be too confident with that considering the inevitable injuries. Those guys may be good players soon, but still young.